April 1st, 2016
DOWNLOAD MP3 PharoaheMonch-EvolveprodbyExile.mp3
Summary: Lyrical. Powerful.
About Artist: Pharohe Monch is most famous for his single “Simon Says” (1999) but is also a respected MC who has continued making revolutionary music. This track is produced by Exile who is a super talented producer and who began his early career in a duo group alongside Aloe Blacc.
About Song: This song came out on Pharoe Monch’s third album “W.A.R. (We Are Renegades)” in March 2011. It was never a single but it did re-apper on Exile’s mixtape “Intro to the Outro” in September 2011.
This is the 2nd song from “Intro to the Outro”to be posted in gregshiphop. Check out “Wait For Me (ft. Big Sean, Lupe Fiasco)”
Favorite Part:
1. Listening to Pharoahe Monch speak truth
2. Pharoahe Monch’s pure lyricism
3. The jazzy gospel track
Other:
Pharoahe Monch Wikipedia
Exile WIkipedia
Evolve Lytics (RapGenius)
September 17th, 2015
DOWNLOAD MP3 Roman-GianArthur-NoSurprisesftJanelleMonae.mp3
Summary: Laaay back and enjoy
About Artist: Roman GianArthur is one the artist on Janelle Monae’s Wondaland Records crew. Obviously I’m a huge Janelle Monae fan. This is just the very beginning of Roman GianArthur’s career on the big stage but I very high hopes from the sound of this first project.
About Song: This song is off of an awesome free EP that Roman GianArthur dropped call OK Lady. The whole EP is a series of remake of Radiohead songs and I really love it from top to body (the track High and Dry is my other favorite).
Favorite Part: “A heart that’s full up like a landfill
A job that slowly kills you
Bruises that won’t heal
I’ll take a quiet life
A handshake of carbon monoxide” 0:30-1:06
…and then that piano that comes in
I also like when the song switches up at 2:03 and that woman is speaking portuguese.
Other:
OK Lady (freeon Soundcloud)
May 29th, 2015
DOWNLOAD MP3 Fashawn-ItsAGoodThingftAloBlaccChoosey.mp3
Summary: Chill little rap
About Artist: Fashawn first gained my attention in 2009 with his album Buy Meets World. He was on the cover of XXL magazine in 2010 with J. Cole and Big Sean but his career hasn’t taken off in the same way. Aloe Blacc is a singer songwriter who is famous for I Need a Dollar, and for being the vocals on Avicii’s Wake Me Up. I have no idea who Choosey is.
About Song: This song is from Fashawn’s 2015 album The Ecology, which I would recommend listening to al the way through.
Favorite Part: I love the little bossa nova type guitar on the track with some classic sounding hip hop raps on the top.
Other:
Fashawn Wikipedia
Aloe Blacc Wikipedia
May 29th, 2015
DOWNLOAD MP3 SnoopDogg-CaliforniaRollftStevieWonderPharrell.mp3
Summary: New Classic
About Artist: Snoop Dogg needs no intro. Stevie Wonder needs no intro. Pharrell needs no intro.
About Song: This song is from Snoop Dogg’s 2015 Pharrell produced album “Bush” highly recommended.
Favorite Part: I love the phone vibe of this song. And I love at 2:51 when Stevie sings “I’m talking bout me and youuu”
Other:
Stevie Wonder Wikipedia
Snoop Dogg Wikipedia
Pharrell Wikipedia
February 15th, 2015
DOWNLOAD MP3 JaredEvan-Television.mp3
Summary: Boom Bap Blues
About Artist: I don’t know anything about Jared Evan except that he’s from New York and signed to Interscope. Wais P is an old school New York rapper who been struggling against obscurity despite having been featured on Jay-Z’s Vol. 2 Hard Knock Life back in 1998. Statik Selektah is a Boston based producer who I’m a big fan of.
About Song: This song is from back in feb 2013 from the mixtape/album Boom Bap Blues, which was a collaboration project between Jared and producer Statik Selektah. I posted 2 other songs from the album back in 2013 here and here. Apparently there is a Boom Bap and Blues 2 (Still Blue) album that came out in 2014 (which I’m gonna go listen to right now)!
Favorite Part: I really love this whole album, very chill, very nice blending of sounds and styles
Other:
Jared Evan Wikipedia
Statik Selektah Wikipedia
February 14th, 2015
DOWNLOAD MP3 TyDollaSign-StretchSheBetter.mp3
Summary: Happy Lovers Day : )
…and don’t forget to listen to yesterday’s “Good Lovin”
About Artist: Ty is a rapper from LA. Ty Dolla $ign produced “Toot it and Boot it”, was on the song “Paranoid (ft. B.o.B.)”, and also produced Lupe’s “Next to it”(which was awesome).
About Song: This song is from Ty’s 2014 mixtape Sign Language.
Favorite Part: I know the lyrics are somewhat vulgar but my favorite favorite part is the echoing “stretchin it out” (like at 1:16). Happy Valentines day y’all, may everyone’s life be full of love.
Other:
Ty Dolla $ign
Stretch Lyrics (via RapGenius)
February 12th, 2015
DOWNLOAD MP3 Felly-Fabrics.mp3
Summary: Laaaaiiid back
About Artist: Felly is a young 19 year old from LA. I’d compare him mostly to Mac Miller, not only cause he’s white.
About Song: This is off of a 2014 project Felly did called”Waking Up To Sirens” (free download here). Felly also produced this track (in his dorm room apparently)
Favorite Part: I like the jazzy piano, and it’s just so laid back.
Other:
Felly Official Website
February 11th, 2015
DOWNLOAD MP3 CeeLo-TaxiCabConfessionsSignOfTheTimes.mp3
THIS SONG HAS BEEN REMOVED DUE TO A COMPLAINT BY THE RIAA.
Summary: Could it be a sign of the times?
About Artist: Cee Lo Green is pretty famous now from his time on the voice. He also had a hit song Fuck You (aka Forget You). He also was a member of Gnarls Barkley that did songs like Crazy. He also has been a member of Goodie Mob since the mid 90s. He also song the hook for Sugar. He also drugged and raped at least one woman.
About Song: This song is from 9 track project that Cee Lo dropped on soundcloud in late January (before removing it a couple weeks later) called “TV On The Radio”. Unfortunately a higher quality version doesn’t exist but…
I posted another great song from this album a few weeks ago Who Ever Loves Me.
This song is the opening track of the album, which weaves in theme songs from different TV shows. This song is focused around the 1970s sitcom “Taxi“.
Favorite Part: I like a lot of things about this song. The track is smooth, and Cee Lo floats well over it. I probably like the chorus the best (the faint echo “could it be a sign of the times” 0:49)
Other:
Cee Lo Green Wikipedia
Lyrics (via RapGenius)
January 24th, 2015
KendrickLamar-SingAboutMeCoverByGregAudio Player
DOWNLOAD MP3 KendrickLamar-SingAboutMeCoverByGreg.mp3
Summary: This is not part of the regular blog series… just a shitty cover I did in one take.
This song is a quick first take cover I made of Kendrick Lamar’s masterful “Sing About Me, I’m Dying Of Thirst” (produced by Like of Pac Div).
I originally just wanted to save this song to my Soundcloud account but when I tried to save it I got the following message….
“Our automatic content protection system has detected that your track, “———- ——“, may contain copyright protected content and we’ve blocked it from being published on your profile.”
It feels shitty to be told a small piece of art that you made with love, in appreciation of a great song, is illegal and shall be blocked. Fuck You Soundcloud. How can you supress culture like that?
Lucky for me I pay for my own web host and, at least for now, that web host will still let me host this mp3.
Favorite Part: You have listen to the original song (I don’t do it any justice). The gunshots at the end of the first verse is one of the most power pieces of music that I know.
Other: Original album art by greg ; )
January 20th, 2015
LupeFiasco-DotsAndLinesAudio Player
DOWNLOAD MP3 LupeFiasco-DotsAndLines.mp3
Summary: New Lupe. Nice and smooth.
About Artist: Lupe FIasco is well known hip hop artist from Chicago. He is know for his positive “conscious” messages and his unmatched lyricism. Lupe it definitely in conversations about best lyrical rapper and his debut album Food and Liquor is a certified classic album. While Lupe’s influence in hip hop has faded dramatically since 2006/2007, which saw the release of Food and Liquor and the critically acclaimed The Cool, he still holds a place among hip hop’s elite.
About Song: This song is off of Lupe’s 5th album Tetsuo and Youth, which dropped today. I haven’t fully deconstructed the song yet so I can’t really say what the song is about but it’s smooth one.
Favorite Part: It’s weird but I like the banjo/guitar intro and outro. I also really like the chorus. I don’t know if it’s because I’m a math nerd or something else but I like this idea of sacred geometry. I also really like the generel instrumentation in the song.
Other:
Lupe Fiasco Wikipedia
Dots & Lines Lyrics (via RapGenius)
January 19th, 2015
YoungOneEra-LifeIsAGameAudio Player
DOWNLOAD MP3 YoungOneEra-LifeIsAGame.mp3
Summary: Good rap. Soulful hook
About Artist: Young One Era is a local Tucson artist! I don’t know anything about Versailles the Truth but I looked her up on soundcloud and she is actually more of a rapper than a hook singer.
About Song: I don’t know much about this song except that it came out in late 2014. Also that it was produced by J. Dominguez
Favorite Part: The production on this song is awesome. I love the video game sounds (Mario, the Donkey Kong drop at 1:55 etc). The rap is solid, and hook is the best part. So beautiful so soulful.
Other:
Young One Era Soundcloud
Versailles the Truth Soundcloud
J. Dominguez Soundcloud
January 17th, 2015
MickJenkins-JazzAudio Player
DOWNLOAD MP3 MickJenkins-Jazz.mp3
Summary: mmmm
About Artist: Mick Jenkins is a young 23 year old rapper from Chicago. He released his first mixtape in 2012 and is just now gaining a wider audience after his 2014 mixtape The Water[s]
About Song: This is a song from Mick Jenkins’ 2014 mixtape The Water[s]. It’s a really great mixtape with track 14 Martyrs being the most famous. The sample for the beat actually comes from a cover of Toxic by Britney Spears.
Favorite Part: I like how slow and jazzy the track is while Mick Jenkins goes in real hard. He really paints a picture with his lyrics that goes great with the music.
Other:
Mick Jenkins Wikipedia
August 25th, 2014
LaurynHill-BlackRageAudio Player
DOWNLOAD MP3 LaurynHill-BlackRage.mp3
Summary: Raw and real.
About Artist:
Tthe one and only Ms. Lauryn Hill needs no introduction. While her musical career has completely fallen apart her immortal works on Miseducation of Lauryn Hill and with the Fugees have earned her a solid place in the pantheon of hip hop / R&B.
About Song: This song was recorded in her living room and is dedicated to the community of Ferguson MO where Mike Brown was killed. Elements of the lyrics and melody are borrowed from The Sound Of Music’s “My Favorite Things”
Favorite Part:
Though it’s a rought cut, I love how raw it is. That simple driving rhythm over her haunting melody is really powerful.
Other:
Black Rage Lyrics (via RapGenius)
Lauryn Hill Wikipedia
August 13th, 2014
DojaCat-SoHighYMNORemixAudio Player
DOWNLOAD MP3 DojaCat-SoHighYMNORemix.mp3
Summary: Blunts Up!
About Artist: Doja Cat is an LA artist who recently came out with her first EP title Purrr! Which is a suuuuper chill kind of smoke out album. This track is an official remix by New York based French producer YMNO.
About Song: I don’t know how I came across this song on Sound Cloud but it caught me with the intro and then it just kind of rolled. Though I don’t smoke anymore it did bring me back to those days in a good way : ) This track is a little more upbeat than the original which is even more chill.
Favorite Part: I like that the track is both laid back but also has sharp little rythem. And I do like the sound of her voice singing on the chorus.
Other:
Doja Cat Soundcloud
